IRVING, Texas - Rolando McClain dances around questions about how much he loves football and whether he enjoyed training camp. The new Dallas linebacker keeps getting asked because he walked away from the game twice in Baltimore after Oakland dumped its former top 10 pick just three seasons into his career. Ready or not, McClain is expected to start Sundays opener against San Francisco. The Cowboys apparently have seen enough to believe hes the replacement in the middle for Sean Lee, whose season-ending knee injury led them to give the Ravens a seventh-round pick just to see if they could rekindle McClains interest. The former Alabama star remains coy with reporters about his commitment. McClain said he "loved life" when asked if he still loved football during game in California, and said he had "no expectations" days before his first football game in almost two years. "If you live up or care about somebodys expectations, youll always let them down," McClain said earlier this week. "So you set your own expectations." Owner Jerry Jones let his expectations run wild almost as soon as McClain reported for camp, always bringing up his name without being asked and at one point saying the Cowboys have "a chance to pull one out of our hat" with the move to get him. McClain skipped practices sporadically through camp, with coach Jason Garrett mostly saying he was just getting back in football shape. During a steamy morning practice earlier this week, McClain appeared to injure something during an individual drill and spent the next few minutes fiddling with a knee wrap instead of participating in the work. "I dont know what youre talking about," McClain said later when asked about the knee. "Im ready. Im great." The Cowboys might need him to be great if they want to improve on the leagues most porous defence from a year ago. The defensive line is filled with questions, and the linebackers are unsettled too. Bruce Carter was supposed to start on the weak side in Rod Marinellis 4-3 scheme, but will be on the strong side instead. Justin Durant, the early pick as Lees replacement, will call the defensive signals and be on the weak side, a critical spot in run support. McClains ability in pass coverage was the biggest reason he landed in the middle. "I expect him to be really a heck of a linebacker for us," said Marinelli, who replaced Monte Kiffin as defensive co-ordinator a year after both joined the staff to implement a scheme change. "I think he has great range. Hes got length. Hes smart. Hes a really physical player. So we just have to get him going and see how it works out from there." And McClain still has his moments of passion, even with reporters. "I still love the game like Im an 8-, 9-year-old kid," he said. "Its just about getting back into it, building chemistry with some of these guys, some trust and just playing and having run really." Now its time for McClain to show the love on the field. ___ Online: AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL ___ Follow Schuyler Dixon on Twitter at https://twitter.com/apschuyler Stitched Jerseys . -- Southern Illinois coach Barry Hinson couldnt hear himself amid the roar in Koch Arena, so he kept stomping on the floor in a fruitless attempt to get his teams attention. Supply Jerseys China . -- Aaron Rodgers looked fine on the practice field Thursday. http://www.wholesalejerseyssupplycheap.com/. The Islanders own the fifth pick in the 2014 draft but had until June 1 to decide whether to keep it or defer to 2015. The selection was packaged in the teams deal for Thomas Vanek on October 27, 2013. Cheap Jerseys From China . - A Tuesday funeral is planned in Toronto for 20-year-old Saginaw Spirit forward Terry Trafford. Discount Nike NFL Jerseys . -- Washingtons Bradley Beal seemed to make every shot he took in setting a career high with 37 points.HOUSTON - The Houston Rockets were so bad on Friday night that coach Kevin McHale talked about retiring.A day later, McHale felt much better.James Harden scored 28 points, Dwight Howard added 23 and the Rockets rolled to a 115-79 win over the Miami Heat on Saturday night, rebounding quite nicely from their most lopsided loss of the season.What a difference a night makes, McHale said. We played well. As bad as we were last night, we moved the ball pretty well tonight.McHale said his team was terrible in a 111-83 loss at New Orleans on Friday night. But the Rockets used a 19-point second quarter from Howard to build a double-digit lead against Miami, and then put together a big run in the third before coasting to their biggest win of the season.The effort and the energy was just a little bit different, Howard said. I dont know what happened in that game (Friday night), but it happened ... weve got to make sure that it doesnt happen again.Houstons starters were benched early in the third quarter against New Orleans by a disgusted McHale. On Saturday night, they spent the fourth quarter on the bench with the Rockets leading by 34 after three.Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh scored 15 apiece for Miami, which has lost four in a row.Were trying to get our collective mental toughness together and we havent been able to do it and tonight was a big example of that, coach Erik Spoelstra said. Weve talked about it in every single way and we simply have to do better and our guys understand that.Bosh seemed frustrated with questions about why the Heat are struggling so much lately.Im not trying to figure things out, Bosh said. Im just trying to win a game and trying to stop answering aall these questions.ddddddddddddJosh Smith, who signed with Houston on Dec. 26, was used as a reserve after starting the previous four games, and Donatas Motiejunas started in his place. Smith brought the crowd to its feet with a one-handed dunk that made it 88-60 late in the third.The Rockets opened the third quarter with an 18-4 run to build a 79-53 lead. Howard scored the first four points of the half before Harden chipped in with six straight points.Jason Terry and Corey Brewer made back-to-back 3s to give Houston a 94-60 lead entering the fourth. The Rockets outscored Miami 33-11 in the third.Howards big second quarter was highlighted by a play when he simply slapped the ball into the basket with one hand after a missed shot by Harden. He was fouled on the basket and made the free throw to extend Houstons lead to 57-49 with less than two minutes left in the period.LEADING THE WAYTrevor Ariza led Houstons defence with six steals, tying a career high.We were embarrassed last night, Ariza said. We know were a better team that what we showed and the way weve been playing. Tonight we needed to try to turn things around. The best way to do it was to step it up on the defensive end and we did that.TIP-INSHeat: It was the 11th straight game where Wade either led or tied for the team lead in scoring, his longest such stretch since an 11-game run in 2010. ... Justin Hamilton missed the game in his recovery from a concussion.Rockets: Terrence Jones (left leg nerve inflammation) and Alexey Shved (left ankle sprain) remain out. ... Houston assigned Nick Johnson to its D-League affiliate.UP NEXTHeat: Host Brooklyn on Sunday.Rockets: Visit Chicago on Monday. ' ' '